AIR QUALITYSurvey Results

In April and May 2015, 52,845 Utahns shared their voice through the Your Utah, Your Future survey. Participants chose their favorite scenarios for air quality and other topics. After choosing their favorite scenarios, survey participants had the option to answer a series of questions to prioritize air quality among other issues, determine the most important outcomes related to air quality, and identify how willing they would be to take specific actions to ensure those outcomes. The survey results were cross-checked against a random-sample survey to ensure they represented the desires and opinions of Utahns.

What Utahns Want

Utahns want clean air. They ranked air quality as one of the state’s most important issues, and a resounding three out of four Utahns voted to reduce emissions by 40% from today, even as Utah’s population nearly doubles. In the scenario that Utahns chose for 2050, Utahns drive 25% less, one third of Utah’s cars have zero tailpipe emissions, existing buildings are retrofitted to be 30% more efficient, all new buildings are 50% more efficient, and all water heaters are ultra-low emission, among other strategies.

Why They Want It

Utahns are most concerned about the negative effects poor air quality has on health, but they also care about enjoying the outdoors, growing the economy, and saving money by improving energy efficiency.

What They Are Willing To Do

To achieve better air quality, Utahns are willing to buy and drive cleaner cars with cleaner fuels; build more low-emission, energy-efficient homes and businesses; and avoid wood burning during winter inversions. Though they are somewhat less willing to curb driving, they want to increase the convenience of getting around without a car by locating housing closer to destinations, expanding public transportation options, and making it easier to walk and bike in communities.